ROBERT de Caen, illegitimate son of HENRY I King of England & his mistress --- ([1090]-Bristol 31 Oct 1147, bur Priory of St James, Bristol). Also known as Robert FitzRoy. Orderic Vitalis records him as "Robert the king's son", and specifies that he led a force from the Cotentin in Sep 1123 to quell the rebellion led by Amaury de Montfort Comte d'Evreux and Waleran de Beaumont Comte de Meulan[1507]. According to the Gwentian Chronicle, Robert was the king´s son by "Nest, daughter of Rhys son of Tewdwr, who was afterwards the wife of Gerald of Pembroke Castle"[1508], but this appears unlikely from a chronological point of view. He was created Earl of Gloucester in [Jun/Sep] 1122. He had the custody of his uncle Robert ex-Duke of Normandy as a prisoner at Bristol in 1126. He did homage to King Stephen in 1136, but quarrelled with him in 1137, and his English and Welsh estates were forfeited. He joined forces with his half-sister "Empress" Matilda, landing in England with her in Sep 1139. He became her commander-in-chief in the civil war. After a series of successes against King Stephen's forces, including the capture of the King at Lincoln in Feb 1141, he himself was captured at Stockbridge 14 Sep 1141 and imprisoned at Rochester. He was freed shortly after in exchange for the king[1509]. The Gesta Stephani Regis records the death of "comes…Glaorniæ" at Bristol, dated from the context to [1147][1510].
m (before [1112]) MABEL [Matilda or Sibylle] FitzRobert, daughter & heiress of ROBERT FitzHamon Lord of Glamorgan and Gloucester & his wife Sibylle de Montgomery (-[29 Sep] 1157). The Chronica de Fundatoribus et Fundatione of Tewkesbury Abbey names (in order) "Mabiliam, Hawysiam, Ceciliam, Amisiam" as the four daughters of "Robertum filium Haymonis, dominum de Astramervilla in Normannia", recording that Mabile married Robert Fitzroy[1511]. Her marriage is recorded by Orderic Vitalis, who also names her parents[1512]. Robert of Torigny records that "filia Roberti Belismensis" was the mother of "Rogerius Wigornensis episcopus", son of "Robertus comes Gloecestrensis…filius primi Henrici regis Anglorum", clarifying that the bishop's grandfather was "Robertus filius Haimonis dominus de Torigneio"[1513]. The Annals of Tewkesbury record that "Mabilia comitissa Gloucestriæ" died in 1157[1514].
Earl Robert & his wife had [seven] children